Feedback & Complaints - How do you guys post contact info?

[Car_Wash_Guy]

I'm a new wash owner. I want the best service for my customers, and want to be notified of unhappy experiences. I've gotten my first complain by a customer. Se sent me a pic of some residual soap left on his dually crew cab truck he brought through my Radius. I told him I'd look into the issue and send him out a $25 credit on our loyalty card when we get them in.

I was wondering what all you guys have posted in your washes? Just a number? Email?

I was thinking about and emergency contact number in the IBA's on the drivers side wall.

Also, perhaps making a sign to place in the SS bays as well as on the driers as you exit the IBA with something to the effect: Please submit comments/complaint to XYX@ABC.COM

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[pgrzes]

I have phone number posted on all bays and front door. I have my voicemail setup to send me an email to my phone which I usually get within 5 minutes. I NEVER offer a cash refund, my facility is nearing 50 years old, the original owner told me to NEVER give a cash refund!! We will provide you with a free wash, bay time or the item you were purchasing if thats where you apparently lost your $$$. A lot of the time just the return call to them makes them happy.

 

[Waxman]

i post my cell # on the cashier and on a sign near bill changer. i do offer cash refunds. i get very few requests and it's usually someone didn't properly load vehicle into wash bay, so i feel it is only right to give a refund.

i do not think " $25 on a wash card...when we get them in' is very good service, btw. just my poinion, but if you are serious about the business and your level of service then take care of things like this right away, not at some vague point in the future, maybe.

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

i post my cell # on the cashier and on a sign near bill changer. i do offer cash refunds. i get very few requests and it's usually someone didn't properly load vehicle into wash bay, so i feel it is only right to give a refund.

i do not think " $25 on a wash card...when we get them in' is very good service, btw. just my poinion, but if you are serious about the business and your level of service then take care of things like this right away, not at some vague point in the future, maybe.

Yeah, in retrospect, you're right. It's just I was 4 hours away and couldn't think of a better alternative at the moment. I guess it's a learning process. I told them to text me their mailing address for the free washes, and they never did.

Thanks

 

[robert roman]

“I want the best service for my customers, and want to be notified of unhappy experiences.”

I suggest a smart phone app.

Cost is about $500 to design one or there are freeware available to DIY.

Monthly fee for app service is about $40.

App goes on your website so customers can download for free.

Then, you will have customer service function at push of a button.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I'm a new wash owner. I want the best service for my customers, and want to be notified of unhappy experiences. I've gotten my first complain by a customer. Se sent me a pic of some residual soap left on his dually crew cab truck he brought through my Radius. I told him I'd look into the issue and send him out a $25 credit on our loyalty card when we get them in.
.

I think the $25.00 is a great idea. Likely 2-3 times what they paid and gets them back for (Hopefully) a better experience.

I try to do the same. If it's a quality complaint I will give then coupons for 2 free washes. If they lose $ in a machine I will give a cash refund.

 

[BBE]

You have to go through each scenario once to be able to know how to handle it the next time it happens. That's what I have found anyways. I always think about what I could have done differently or said to handle it better. And then next time the same thing happens, I'm prepared.

 

[MEP001]

I don't see a problem with over-compensating a customer to keep them happy, but I certainly would not give someone money who came up to me and said they lost it in a bay or changer. 25 years ago I was an attendant at a wash and was told to give a refund no questions asked if someone said they lost money. After a couple months I'd have 3 or 4 people a day hit me up for a refund once the word got out I was an easy mark.

I bought a Tracphone to post the number on the door - I just have to buy time every six months for $10 to keep it active.

 

[rph9168]

I guess the only caveat I see would be the customer that complains in order to get a free wash. Years ago when I was the GM of a wash chain our general policy was to rewash the vehicle immediately or give a customer a free wash card since we were usually very busy and a rewash was not always the best way to go. Once I had a little old lady complain about the quality of her wash. I took an employee over to her car and told her we would correct any problem she had with the wash. She looked at me and said, "Why don't you just give me another free wash card like they usually do." Made me wonder when the last time she had paid for a wash. I think it would be wise to track those customers that complain and are given credits or a free wash to make sure the complaints are legitimate.

 

[Randy]

I get very few complaints from customers at the car wash, I have my cell phone number posted on the front of the Bill Changer. The ones I do get are normally BS complaints that don’t warrant any of my time or even a call back. Here are2 calls I’ve gotten in the last year. A lady calls me and said she lost $5 in my bill changer. No problem, I get all of her contact info, phone number, address etc. and I tell her if the bill changer is $5 dollars over I’ll be more than happy to send you $5 in Tokens, never ever give back cash. The next day I pull the money count it and it’s right on, gee I wonder what happened to her $5 dollars, maybe she lied to me. About 3 months later she calls again this time, I keep records of everyone who calls for a refund she said she lost $10 in the bill changer and if she doesn’t get her $10 back she’s going to tell everyone she knows what a jerk I am, same deal the bill changer is right on. I don’t even bother to call them back if there lying to me. Another guy calls me PI$$ED because the equipment won’t start. I asked him how much he’s put in the coin box, he says $1.25 that’s what it cost to wash my car at the last car wash. I tell him It’s $2.25 here to start the equipment, that’s a rip off he says. I want my $1.25 back no problem I’ll be happy to send you 2 tokens what’s your address. He doesn’t know his address, I ask him if he gets mail and says yes he does, but he never mails himself a letter so why should I know my address. I never gave him a refund, any one that stupid who doesn’t know their address shouldn’t be allowed to drive. It never ends

 

[mjc3333]

I use my Google voice account for refunds. It's free and it texts me and emails me when someone calls and or leaves a message. It sounds like an answering machine to them. The great thing about it is the caller id. No more trying to find out what was that number they left. When I call them back, if i really need to, I use the Google voice number as my outgoing number so they don't see my real cell number for privacy. It's been a win win for me.

Mike

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

I use my Google voice account for refunds. It's free and it texts me and emails me when someone calls and or leaves a message. It sounds like an answering machine to them. The great thing about it is the caller id. No more trying to find out what was that number they left. When I call them back, if i really need to, I use the Google voice number as my outgoing number so they don't see my real cell number for privacy. It's been a win win for me.

Mike

Yeah, I set up a Google Voice. Now I just need to make some signs and post them. For now, since we only opened about 5 weeks ago - I have my personal cell number posted on the doors.

 

[cantbreak80]

Post your Google Voice phone number on each meterbox, bill changer, vending machine, and bay sign. (Those Brother Label Maker machines come in handy here.) A simply worded label works fine: “TROUBLE? Call ###-###-####”

Some cool things about Google Voice:
If you have partners/attendants on rotating work schedules, each person’s cell phone can be the “Trouble Phone”.

Program Google Voice with each phone number and then select which phone is “On Duty”. When a customer calls, the On Duty phone receives the call.

You can also have Google Voice send a text message and/or an email when the On Duty phone isn’t answered.
If the customer leaves a voice message, Google Voice acts as your answering machine, automatically providing you with the caller’s phone number and a time and date stamped message. The text message transcript is usually garbled and dyslectic, but you can always listen to the message from Google’s email link.

I have my Google Voice phone number listed as an iPhone Contact. When a customer calls, I see it’s from the car wash so I answer “Good Day, Car Wash. This is Philbert J. Squatbody. May I help you?”

You can also have Google Voice forward the caller’s phone number rather than your Google Voice phone number…but then, you’ll never know if it’s that “Spoofing” middle-eastern fellow calling to offer you great deals on Viagra or Cialis.

I dropped the car wash's landline after getting Google Voice. A friend said: "Well, you're no longer listed in the Yellow Pages."
I replied. "Yellow Pages? Who uses the Yellow Pages anymore?"

 

[TEEBOX]

"You can also have Google Voice forward the caller’s phone number rather than your Google Voice phone number…but then, you’ll never know if it’s that “Spoofing” middle-eastern fellow calling to offer you great deals on Viagra or Cialis."

I found your post to be informative and beneficial to this board. I leaned something about Google voice. However, did the ethnic slur statement "middle eastern fellow" really needed to be included?

Try to be informative without insulting anybody in the future!

 

[I.B. Washincars]

How is "middle-eastern fellow" an ethnic slur? If someone from the middle-east called and tried to sell him Viagra, I would say it is accurate. Maybe not necessary to state it, but nowhere near being a slur. This PC crap is ridiculous.

 

[Kevin James]

How is "middle-eastern fellow" an ethnic slur? If someone from the middle-east called and tried to sell him Viagra, I would say it is accurate. Maybe not necessary to state it, but nowhere near being a slur. This PC crap is ridiculous.

I get PO'd when I get a call someone and I can't understand them because there English is so bad. I had one call me and wanted to put my computer on a Viagra service plan, at least I think that's what he wanted.

We have signs with a phone number to the office, people like to hear a nice woman's voice when they call in with a problem.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Had a guy exit my tunnel and find me working on a vaccuum. Had his young son with him and he's ranting how he only got the basic wash and wanted the better wash and when he told the cashier she screwed up she was not nice to him, and he's a good customer blah blah blah. I let him finish his rant to cool down thinking this is what the kid is learning and this is how upset you get about a messed up car wash order what happens with important stuff? Anyway I say "How about if I offer you my apologies and give you coupons for 2 free washes wiith that be OK?" He says "well you need to have a talk with your employee" I said thank you, I will and send him on his way. He did thank me for the freebies.

 

[MEP001]

Sounds like another case of someone making an unnecessary stink just to get something for free.